Does Anyone Go to the Pub/Clubs Still?

I keep getting invited by my friends but too paranoid. I assume the levels are easily 90db sustained, and with ear plugs the occlusion effect makes it pointless?

 

It's a dilemma I find very difficult to solve. You're young, you should live the shit out of life. But being in an enviroment where you need to shout for others to hear you doesn't seem 100 percent safe. The occlusion effect isn't a brain ghost, it will amp up the level of your voice as it reaches your inner ear.

I would consider other options for having a social life. It's not easy, but it's possible. Visiting the pub while you're worried about your T getting worse won't be fun anyway.

 

Yeah, it's very frustrating. I wasn't fussed about it at first, until my girlfriend left me. Now I feel hopeless. I can't socialise let alone find a love, especially at my age as everyone loves a night out!

 

You wan't to avoid a life situation where T is allowed to become a disability, but you also want to find solutions that works out in the long run. How many times and how often can you go to the pub without T catching up with ya, and getting worse? I wouldn't be too thrilled to find out.

Personally, I try to work in small steps. I've got hold of all relevant hearing protection, and am now looking for a gym with a noise level that doesn't aggravate my H. It's going so-so. There's actually a gym an hour away with a training room without music, so I thought it would work out, but the spinning classes in the hall next door plays music like a bleeding disco. Back to square one. On monday, I'll try out another gym where they play radio, but on resonable levels, and where the staff has said that they don't care if I train with earmuffs. If I feel comfortable training there, that means one importent piece of the the life pussel is in place, and I will then try to get some social life going.

Either I spend the nearest years chosing between fear of not having a life and fear of T getting worse, or I try to be flexible and inventive. Maybe the same options apply in your case.

 

Tried and failed- with plugs..

It's just too loud. If you have to shout, get out...

My little philosophy. .

 

There is a difference between loud clubs and some bars that play mild music.

I stay away from clubs or bars with loud music.

But I know a few places that don't have loud music levels.. smart phone app comes in handy. I use app called noise meter.. if it shows above 80db.. I don't go there Again.

 

Thanks for the input! That's the thing, my phone app says 80-85db for almost anywhere, including restaurants.

 

Just got back from the pub. I monitored the sound levels and it was about 85db on average, spiking up to 90db +. Surely this for a couple of hours wouldn't cause damage? I was there for an hour and thought it was best to call it a night. I hate this. If I was 30 or so it wouldn't bother me as going out isn't as big of a thing then and i'd hopefully be settled down etc, but I can't even go out and do anything now!

 

Hey, we'll ask you that at 30. Its not as old as it sounds. Neither is 40 for that matter.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to cause offence, I just mean for example; at 30 most of your friends wouldn't look to go clubbing every week and that, I just feel like a burden on everyone because of my age.

 

I would go drink and hang out with my friends here and there at bars but we aleays went to ones that didnt blast music go to the mellow ones that play low music u should be fine .. Just remember if u think its loud most likely it is i .. Everytime i went somewere out and i got there if in my head i was like this is too loud i just left.. But my dumb ass never said that about the gym what can i say i was a gym rat and paid for it ..

 

The noise level at the gym made your T worse, Geo? Was it the music they played or people dropping heavy weights?

I'm a gym rat myself, and has found a couple of gyms fairly close to my home where they play radio, but not very loud. I plan to try them out but with earmuffs. (Looks stupid, I know, but what the hell. If I can't get to the gym and do my workout I'll end up crazy.)

 

Hey some of us are in our 30s and we still like to go out!!! Lol

 

I'm having dinner at a pub right now. I'm not wearing earplugs. The ambient level at my table is 75db.

If I'm at a louder place where it's greater than 80 sustained, I wear plugs...

 

What app do you use to measure it? I need to start doing this too.

 

Ive had 2 permanent spikes due to the gym before due too loud music... Its the bad H that has stopped me from going and my very reactive t that i also developed when H came back..yeah bro i miss my workouts bad..

 

Oh god, 30 is old? THAT SHIP HAS COME AND GONE WHAT HAVE I FINE WITH MY LIFE

 

I use dB meter professional on my phone, it may be somewhat reliable up to 80db or so, but double check with a real db meter because every phone microphone is different.

 

Noise meter for android is good.

The other apps on Android are giving wrong levels.. but who knows. Download them and try them out.

 

Does anyone still go with ear plugs?

I have some hearos which are 33db+ protection but still worried about bone conduction, although doesn't the skull protect up to 40db?

 

I have a pair of musicians earplugs with me at all times. I ordered them on Amazon--they are a brand called Etymonic. They only cancel out 12db on average but cancel out about 20db in the higher frequencies which cause the most hearing loss. I wear them to noisy pubs if I feel like it is too loud or sports events, etc. I have found that after a few minutes to adjust it becomes easy to listen to and track conversations and the noise really is mitigated. It works for me!

And as a 32 year old, I also desire having a pint or two at our local pubs! I'm with @Chelles on this one, we thirty something's need to stick together.

 

I bought as well "musician's earplugs" and they made a huge difference compared to the normal foam/wax earplugs when in a noisy bar/pub/restaurant as they lower considerably the noise exposure but allow me to listen to friends talking near by and responding accordingly...

Have a look at those as @marqualler suggested as they may help you feeling better about going out from time to time..

Funny when I was at your age I also thought 30 was "old".. Now I am in my 40's and I was thinking 70 is old.. But then the other day I was chatting with a very up going 70 years old which told me 90 is the new old... I guess we are just as old as we make ourselves believe )

Best of luck, go out have fun while protecting your ears !!

 

I never went to them before T & I have no plans to after T, but if you wear decent ear plugs I don't see why it would be an issue

 

Before my relapse it wasn't a problem for me. I could go anywhere and do anything. It was like that for 5 years. I would always encourage use of plugs in 85+ db environments, but if it feels to loud, then it probably is. You can still have a happy and fulfilled life outside of loud environments.